One-Sided Illusion
by TEARLINNER
Summary: She took full responsibility. For her yearning becoming vile greed and for turning an innocent friendship into a false love story. She knew the terms. He, the love of her life and lover, was her friend's boyfriend. It only took for her little secret to come to light for Hinata to decide that it was time to put her life in order.
1. Prologue

For a long time I did nothing but sleep and drown in my sorrows, feeling guilty.

In the midst of my illness called depression I had forgotten what it was to be human.

I had not left my apartment for weeks.

I wiped away the tears that still hanged from my eyelashes and took a deep breath. I was ready. On that occasion I wouldn't be writing poetry or a short story for children, my favorite public, it was a letter, an apology that began with:

"Sakura, I'm so sorry ..."

Every word that followed at that agonizing start slowly killed me. I knew it was the end of our friendship. Or rather, the definitive end, since I knew lost her confidence in just the moment she discovered my idyll with her boyfriend.

The saddest part was that I would not just lose a friend with that message, but also I would lose my "lover". But there is no turning back, I had decided that the most worthy thing to do in those moments was to give up the one thing that I had loved with devotion ...

My good friend... Naruto. With whom I had shared everything about myself.

After 21 years of life, the right decision was finally made: To love myself above all.

But, giving up my biggest addiction was not easy. It will take me months of sleep and hundreds of tears that I would never recover. But at the end of the day, I deserve it. I was aware that being with him from the beginning it had already cost me all my dignity.

It had cost me friendships.

All for satisfying my friend's lowest wishes.

All for being his "Special Friend".

* * *

Author note: First of all. My first language is spanish, so before hand I am apologizing if there are a few (or lots of) mistakes on my translation (Because the original Fanfiction is being written in spanish).

I am trying to improve my english this year (Mostly because I wanna apply for a scholarship and it requires it), thats why I took the mission of translating my own story.(which I havent finalized yet)

Hope you understand and like it :)


	2. The end of the Odyssey - Part I

**|March, 2016|**

The skin on my left cheek slightly burned and my friend's eyes were watching me.

Fixedly, she stared at me.

Her pupils were dilated, and the dampness in her eyes was not timid. Something unusual for Sakura Haruno. But even stranger was the fact that in her face I did not perceive any hint of hatred.

But disappointment.

That discovery did nothing but worsen the knot that slowly closed my throat, preventing my vocal cords from issuing any words. Some apology.

But, really, there were no words to remedy the damage done or to turn back time. There were no words to save our friendship. Everything was lost and I didn't expect less, I should have sensed it from the moment I decided to be selfish and become the dirty secret of Naruto, Sakura's boyfriend.

I was not proud of what I had done. But how could I have avoided refusing to fall down on the arms of the absolute owner of my heart? How could I have been less weak?

"Do you even have something to tell me?" Sakura demanded, raising her voice.

I opened my mouth, but I could not find my voice.

"Hinata Hyuga!" She demanded once more.

Again, no words came out of my mouth.

"S-say something ... please," she said, reducing the volume of her voice, now broken as she fell on her knees and hid her face in her hands.

Meanwhile, I just stared at her, without any tear escaping from my eyes. Anyone who observed me at that moment would say that I am an unscrupulous, cold and selfish person. And yes, I may not be able to refute that, but even... I refused to believe that that was me.

I was different. I wasn't that girl who stole the boyfriend from one of her best friends.

The realization of that, and Sakura crying desperately in front of me, hit me hard.

My feet finally seemed to respond to my pleas and moved, being the faithful accomplices of my escape. I left the girls' bathroom where I was seconds ago and ran quickly across the campus, with a hiding place in mind: my room. Once in, I let go of the tears I was retaining, letting them cloud my eyes, feeling my lungs almost collapsing by the intermittent sobs that escaped my mouth. I fell on my bed and buried my face in the pillow.

My cell phone rang once. I opened the message, it was Naruto's:

 _ **¨Hinata. Sakura knows it¨**_

Oh, Naruto ... he was the last to find out.

After that message I did not know about Naruto or Sakura for weeks. That's when I realized that I only was the apple of discord in that perfect relationship, nothing more, nothing less: The mistress.

Sakura did not bother to want to know my part of the story. And Naruto did not even have the slightest intention of finding out that all of this was killing me.

To both of them, I probably was just a chapter in their life that they wish they could erase forever.

In that moment I only wanted to disappear, and that feeling accompanied me for the next 2 weeks.

I looked at the ceiling of my room and noticed that it was already dark. Another day that I deprived myself of my life as a college student, being just locked in the safeness of my room.

I brought my hands to my cheeks and tried to wipe the tears on them. There were no more of them, it seemed that I had reached my limit for that day. I coughed, trying to clear my throat, which burned.

I felt as if I was losing all the strength of my body, but I managed to walked to my desk and turned on my computer. My discomforts have not diminished a bit, but I finally felt a little courage reaching my head.

A chill ran down my spine as I laid my hands on the keyboard, ready to write.

I knew I was a coward for writing a letter to Sakura to apologize. But ... I just did not feel the ability to face her face to face.

The most painful thing about it was that it would force me to tell her the details of my story with Naruto that I never thought would see light. Naruto would hate me, I was sure of it, but that would be the price I would be willing to pay for doing the right thing for once. Sakura deserved it. My old self deserved it.

In the middle of my task, I felt my cell phone vibrate in my pockets. Twice.

I took it. There were two messages. From Naruto.

Another shiver ran down my spine.

It was the first contact I had with him for weeks. I swallowed. I took a deep breath and read the first message.

 _ **¨Hello Hinata¨.**_

I formed a half smile on my face for such casual greeting. I opened the second message:

 _ **"Sakura and I talked about our relationship and ... I convinced her to give me another chance. She has accepted, but in exchange of something.**_

I bit my lip to stop a sob, I had a vague idea of where this was going. While it was true that I had accepted the idea that my relationship with Naruto will not be the same, when the time came, I was terrified.

I opened with fear the third and last message, knowing in advance that in it Naruto would be in charge of making clear to me who he chooses between Sakura and I:

 _ **"I make a decision and I think the right thing is to tell you in person. Could we meet in the university cafeteria in 30 minutes? "**_

I immediately responded with a simple "Yes", removed my pajamas and dressed properly. I did not see makeup necessary. I put on some boots, took a sweater, and left my room.

I thought I was ready for whatever it came.


	3. The end of the Odyssey - Part II

**|April, 2016|**

As soon as I entered the cafeteria, I confirmed one of my fears. It was full. Something to expect if it's 7 pm, college students dinner time.

I kept looking for a blond hair until I finally found it. He was at a table right in the middle of the cafeteria.

I swallowed hard and headed towards him, who seemed distracted, seeing nothing in particular while holding his chin with his clasped hands.

As I approached, I felt my feet weigh more. I was scared.

I was a total mess.

"Naruto," I called awkwardly as I was already in front of him.

Once listening to me, he seemed to get out of the mental gap he was in and looked at me. Feeling his blue eyes fixated on mines, I immediately preferred to sit and look down at the table.

"How have you been?" He asked, smiling at me, trying to be casual.

"F-fine" I replied, even though we both knew full well that nothing was fine.

Oh ... I knew him so well. So well that I was sure that everything was a facade. He was perhaps as nervous as I was.

It was curious that we both felt uncomfortable with each other presence given the previous nature of our relationship. It was as if being discovered by Sakura finally opened our eyes and we were aware until that very moment of what we have been doing.

Of how bad we had done.

I wanted to cry right there. It was obvious that my relationship with Naruto was hopelessly broken.

Nothing could be as before.

"It's been two weeks, eh ..." he said, starting to play with the right sleeve of his shirt, suddenly changing his happy face to a melancholy one. He knew full well that he would not fool me with his "I was all right" facade. "Believe me when I tell you that I was going to call you sooner, but this happened here and this there, and by the time I realized it, I did not even know what to tell you"

"Oh ..." I lowered my gaze again to the table.

An uneasy silence seized the table.

"What we did was wrong ..." he began and I just wished I could cover my ears to not hear what I knew he was about to say. But I wasn't a little girl anymore, I was a woman, a woman who had to face her mistakes head on. "I'm sorry to have involved you in this ... I'm very sorry that all this got out of hand and fucked up like this." He shook his hair in frustration. "I'm stupid, I always been. I don't know when I thought it was a good idea that you and I ..."

I didn't let him end.

"I-I understand," I interrupted, already with tears escaping my eyes. I didn't want to hear how that sentence ended, that was enough.

"Hinata ... I'm sorry" He put his hand on top of mine to comfort me, but this only had the opposite effect. His touch burns.

Suddenly I felt his hand being violently removed from mine, forcing me to look up at the person responsible for it.

My eyes flooded with panic when I saw her there. When I saw Sakura.

"Surprised, Hinata? You didn't expect to see me?" She asked me sarcastically as I watched in horror as she took a seat next to Naruto. "By the way, I don't recalled breaking up with Naruto for you both to be holding hands in public," she said, extremely annoyed. Nothing like the Sakura I left crying in the bathroom that time.

"It's not what it looks like" Naruto guickly tried to clarify.

"I want to believe you, Naruto." She sighed. "I guess you both are doing this because it may be the last time you'll see each other. I should understand, right?" She said sarcastically. "By the way, did you already tell her Naruto?" She now looked into my eyes with venom and I trembled in my seat. "Even though I recall we had agreed that I would be there when you told her."

In that moment I understood everything. Sakura wanted to see firsthand how Naruto was getting rid of me.

And ... I was totally agree with that, after all, how likely is it to trust your boyfriend when he cheated on you?

Sakura was being careful.

"Naruto, Have you become deaf or what? Aren't you going to tell her?" Sakura insisted when she saw Naruto hesitant.

I saw Sakura lose patience, so I decided it was time to intervene: " Just s-say it Naruto" he looked at me with surprise "Im ready"

A fleeting glimpse of sadness crossed his eyes before he spoke:

"Hinata ... Sakura and I decided to try to repair our relationship and .. for that..." I saw him swallow "It would be the best if we never see each other ever again"

It took me five seconds to understand everything and when I did I just wanted to run away, to flee away from where I was no longer welcome ... from where I was never called.

I didn't want to crumble in front of them, but I guess I didn't deserve such a privilege.

I smiled at them with understanding. "I understand," I stammered, drawing strength I didn't know I had. "I understand it perfectly," I repeated. But then, when I fixed my eyes on those blue ones of Naruto I just loose it, walking myself into a deep hole of sadness. I had to get out of there soon. "I-I understand, I s-should get going" I waved awkwardly as I rejoined myself, fighting the urge to run away.

"There's something else ..." Sakura stopped me. "You should take a seat for what I want to ask you. It's something I'm not sure of yet, but that I need to clarify soon"

"Of c-course" I took a seat again.

"How long ago did...this thing, this affair, started?" She finally asked.

"Three months ago," Naruto hurried to answer.

He had lied.

I saw him with disbelief as he just looked at me with pleading.

But then, I decided to keep quiet, maybe Naruto was be right. Telling the whole truth would only complicate things with Sakura. And he just wanted to get her back, and I wouldn't deprive him of it. In any case, I had decided to be the only one who would be losing in this game.

Sakura took a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Wow, I was expecting less," she laughed gracelessly, "Three months having all the fun and you both couldn't tell me anything?" she said with wryly, but she couldn't completely hide the pain in her voice.

I was the worst friend of all time.

"I-I'm sorry ..." I apologized. "There are no words that can express how regretful I am. I am really s-sorry" Apologizing was all I could do, even though I knew there were just empty words, words that wouldn't change or repair anything.

"You don't need to apologize, I had enough of that bullshit. Just answer me one last question. And I want you, Hinata, and only you, to answer me. "She bit her lip, hesitantly.

"Of c-course," I agreed quickly, ready to clear up any doubt, in any case the supposed taboo question had already been asked. I wasn't afraid anymore of whatever she needed to clarify.

But nothing prepared me for what Sakura, without preamble, asked:

"Did you two slept together?"

My eyes went from Sakura to Naruto, full of horror.

"Sakura ..." Naruto begged, full of distress.

Sakura ignored him and continued: "Answer me Hinata, did you slept with Naruto?" she asked again, with her face serene, as if the possible answer to that question didn't affect her anyhow.

I couldn't find my voice. I didn't know why Sakura was insisting if Naruto's face and mine spoke for themselves.

"You won't say anything?, Hinata?"

"I...I-I" I stammered.

"Sakura, what happened ..." Naruto tried to answer for me, but Sakura interrupted him.

"I want Hinata to tell me. I don't fuckin' believe any word that comes out of your mouth.

A hurt expression crossed Naruto's face.

"Sakura, that's not necessary," Naruto demanded. "Do you mean to hurt yourself or what?"

"No, I just need to know everything so I can try to get back with you." She emphasized the word 'try'.

"Tell me, Hinata. Did you slept with my boyfriend? "She insisted once more, and in that moment I knew I had no escape.

My lips trembled, and with a slight blush on my cheeks, I nodded.

In that moment, I just wanted to disappear.

"I see ..." Sakura's gaze darkened and stared into nowhere for a few seconds, then she faced me full of anger. "Who'd thought? Timid little Hinata knows how to use her body to get what she wants. Who would have guessed that under the whole facade of "I have never kissed anyone" hid a slut"

"Sakura, you don't have to be so hard on her. It's all my fault, I ..."

"Shut up, Naruto. I already talked to you before, now it's Hinata's turn.

"Sakura, you're right ..." I said through tears, not daring to see her in the eyes. "I-I deserve it. Please continue. This is what I need. I-I need you to be hard on me. Tell me everything you think of me. Don't hold back"

I didn't need the Sakura that cried that time in the bathroom, I needed that Sakura willing to tell me in all its letters that I was a 'Slut'. Only that way I would feel like I was receiving a well-deserved scolding.

Sakura rolled her eyes, sighed, and rubbed her forehead. I could tell she was having a hard time doing her hard-faced facade.

And that just made me feel worse.

"I don't think I have anything else to say. I won't mess my mouth with adjectives that could describe you at this time. You're no longer my friend, so you've lost the privilege of deserving my time"

Sakura was too good for her own good. I didn't understand how I could have the scruples of hurting her like that.

"Hinata" she called me again "Before you run out like the last time ... I have one last thing to say"She sighed. "The reason I asked Naruto to call you here was to humiliate you. I wanted to do it publicly, so that everyone here would know what kind of person you really are" to make matters worse, Sakura began to cry. "But I can't. I can't"

How could she be so condescending to me despite the damage I did to her?

How and why?

Why that friend, the one who had always been protective of me, protected me even when I had stabbed her in the back?

To my biggest surprise I felt a sudden wave of anger run through my body. I stood up from the table and looked at her fiercely.

"Well, you should!" I shouted so loudly that it caught the attention of the people near us. That had been my intention, I deserved to be punished harshly by Sakura. It wouldn't be enough to just keep Naruto away from me. I deserved humiliation.

"Hinata, you don't have to expose yourself this way. You don't have to relapse all the responsibility of this on yourself. I am to blame for everything, "Naruto said in distress.

I decided to ignore him.

"Sakura, Please! Tell them all!" I insisted again, making sure this time that all the students there were paying their full attention to us.

Naruto took me by the arm and forced me to sit down again.

"Hinata, this isn't necessary, you don't deserve it. It's my fault, everything is my ... "Naruto insisted, but I cut him again in half sentence.

"You are wrong, I deserve it," I said, totally broken now, leaving behind any trace of anger and beginning to cry without hesitation. "I deserve it Naruto, for being the worst friend for both ..." When I saw him in the eyes, I cried even harder and immediately hide my face with my hands. I didn't want to see that feeling of regret in his face, that only reminded me that for him I was only a mistake, something that if he could he would erase from his life.

"Do it then" I heard Sakura.

I took off my hands from my face and saw her eyes, those eyes that didn't hesitate.

"If I can't do it, you should do it. Go and tell everyone what you've done, " she said "Can you?"

I passed my gaze from Sakura to my sorroundings, noticing familiar faces watching me with curiosity. Among them I glimpsed my friends Kiba, Shino, Ino, and ... my cousin Neji. In the latter I noted concern on his face. Just imagining how disappointed he would be after knowing what his cousin had done killed me.

I panicked and when I returned my attention to Sakura I saw disappointment on her face. She knew I couldn't do it. She now knew more than anyone else that I was a cowardly person.

I had already disappointed her. I did not want to disappoint anyone else.

And, because of that ... I just ran away.


	4. The Beginning

**|October, 2011|**

It all started five years ago, when I was only 16 years old.

At that time my situation wasn't so different from now.

I was in love with Naruto and he was in love with Sakura. Although at that time Sakura, like almost all the girls of the school of Konoha, got a crush on Sasuke Uchiha, my brother.

At that time I never had intentions to make public my feelings for Naruto, no even to my closest friends. And that was because I didn't see it as necessary. Nothing would have changed my situation doing so. I had accepted that Naruto wasn't interested in me and I had learned to live with it.

But in the end ... I changed my mind. That day. That October 31st.

That day, the boys had decided to celebrate Halloween in a big way, and even more so because the soccer team, to which Sasuke and Naruto belonged, had won against Otsutsuki, a team from a private school.

At this event, despite not having the age allowed, they didn't deprive themselves of alcohol, something that I'd rather just see from a distance. The only reason I had attended was because Sakura had insisted and because the party was in my house. This was because my parents were traveling and the boys decided to take advantage of it.

That night, as I watched Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura taking a shot of tequila, I was dazzled by how many people had arrived. People I did not even know.

I had never really been a person that enjoys the buzz, the alcohol ... and the drugs that Sai got.

"Hinata, please, don't get bored!" Naruto said to me with feigned and overacted affliction. I could tell that the shot of tequilla had got to him already, something that I found adorable and that helped me to dispel the tension I felt caused by my social phobia.

"Leave my little sister alone, ok?" Sasuke threatened Naruto, though we all knew it was a joke, since he'd started drinking nobody could took away that silly smile off his face. My brother didn't seem to be good at drinking alcohol either.

"I just want to see her smile, even just a little. That way she looks more beautiful, so beautiful that sometimes makes me wonder if I should ask her hand right away and marry her," Naruto said with the clear intention of annoying Sasuke, who immediately hit him with his elbow.

All the while, I just blushed.

"No even kidding, jerk," Sasuke replied, totally disgusted just by the thought of us together.

If only Naruto had known how that innocent joke had made my heart skip a beat.

Naruto turned to me: "Do you want something to drink?" He didn't wait for me to answer when he addressed Sai, who was serving the drinks. "Sai, Hinata wants to drink something here! Preferably something without alcohol!"

"I'm afraid to tell you that we're short on inventory, why don't you go and buy some juice? The high demand for vodka left us short of it.

"I'll take you in my car," Sakura offered immediately. "I need to get some air, it's very hot in here," she said, a little suffocated.

"Are you sure it's no beacuse of the tequila?" Sasuke mocked her, to which Sakura blushed.

"What nonsense you say! Let's hurry up and buy those drinks"

"It's not necessary, I don't want anything, I'm fine," I said, afraid that those three could suffer an accident if they drove in that state. "You don't have to go."

"Course it's necessary, a lot of people here want vodka," Sai hastened to say while the openning and inspecting the refrigerator. "By the way, the beers are finished, too," My bad luck.

"Then we'd better hurry," Sakura said, taking up her jacket and pretending to leave.

Sasuke, Naruto and I followed her. But Sakura turned around and pointed at me.

"You little, beautiful and good lady, you will stay here"

I opened my mouth to refute, but I was cut short: "It doesn't matter anything. Today you have the mission of socializing. That's an order! " and without letting me speak, she left with the boys, leaving me all alone.

20 minutes later, seeing that it was already 11 pm and bored waiting for Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke to return, despite Kiba's disapproving look, I decided it was best to settle into the comfort of my room with a bowl of popcorn while I watching a marathon of 'The Walking Dead', one of my addictions.

For me that was a worthy way to celebrate Halloween.

After seeing an episode and not having news of Sakura, Naruto or Sasuke, I began to worry, wondering why they would be so late. I decided to go down to the first floor of my house, where the party was taking place, hoping to find them among the crowd, but nothing.

No one knew about them.

"Don't be paranoid, Squirrel," Kiba mocked me as he passed his arm behind my shoulders in a fraternally way to comfort me, calling me by that nickname he insisted on using on me because of my short stature and my 'little voice' . "That on Halloween day there are human sacrifices is just a urban legend, you should stop seeing so many fantasy series"

"But..."

"Don't worry, they'll come, you'll see. Have you checked your phone in case you have any missed calls?"

I immediately blinked as I remembered that I had left my cell phone in my bed.

"Uhh ... no"

Kiba just sighed and moved his head from side to side while saying "You pretty clumsy little thing"

"I'll go check it out," I said with a slight blush on my cheeks, distressed by my clumsiness.

I went upstairs as fast as I could, when I entered my room I immediately identified the light of my phone blinking incessantly. They were calling me!

I ran as fast as I could and answered the call.

"Sakura! Are you here? " I cleared my throat immediately, embarrassed to hear the tone of voice I had used. Of course, after having run so long I would have expected that the voice would sound to me that way. I just hoped I hadn't scared Sakura "Are they here?" I said, now calm.

I didn't hear anything on the other side of the line.

"Sakura?" I insisted. But suddenly I managed to identify a slight gasp on the other side of the line, that made me alert, it sounded as if Sakura wanted to talk, but couldn't. "Wh-what's the matter?" I asked now scared.

"H-hinata ... " she said in a gasp, noting how difficult it was for her to speak. "We are on ... the... h-hospital. S-sasuke and N-naruto ..."

"Which hospital?" I asked quickly, afraid to hear the end of that sentence.

I barely managed to memorize the name of the hospital and we all went in the car of Neji. In the whole ride I felt full of the uncertainty of how serious everything would be, giving myself mental blows at times, reproaching myself for not letting Sakura tell me everything over the phone, but on the other side, wishing to not know anything. I feared that the worst thing had happened to my brother and the person I loved the most.

In those moments I was so terrified of never be able to see them again.

Not being able to give them a properly goodbye.

I was terrified to think that I hadn't spent enough quality time with my brother, reprimanding myself for not being too expressive with him.

And, It killed the idea of never having confessed my feelings to Naruto.

When I got to the hospital I knew everything. A crying Sakura barely managed to explain herself.

As they left the convenience store, just as Naruto and Sasuke emerged from the sidewalk, a car drove past them at full speed. Sakura just had time to save one of the boys.

Sakura ... against all odds, had decided to save Naruto.

If it was intentionally or not, Sakura never said it. Although, I was sure she regretted her decision, saying with guilt on her eyes "I do not know why I did it"

But that was irrelevant to me at the time. Not when Sasuke struggled unconsciously between life and death.

The doctors had declared him in a coma.

The next three days were full of panic, waiting for the worst to happen. But Sasuke managed to outwit the death and get out of danger.

The next week was full uncertainty, Sasuke didn't wake up.

The next two weeks, were full of acceptance. We were prepare with the idea that we would probably never see the "Prince of Konoha" again.

That until a miracle happened.

Sasuke woke up.

But that didn't necessarily meant there would be a happy ending.

When the doctors gave us green light to Sasuke to receive visits, my parents and me knew that the moment had come.

Upon entering the room we saw him sitting in his bed, where the nurse was finishing injecting something into the serum that was channeled to his veins. The sound of the door seemed to alert him as he immediately turned his gaze on us.

"Well, you don't change. After playing the sleeping beauty for so long I hoped that these two old came walking with a stick and or that at least this squirrel was a little bit taller," he joked.

I saw my brother smile and I made a superhuman effort to return the smile and contain my tears. Such a gesture only made me feel worse, I knew that what we were about to say to him would erase every smile on his face.

"It hasn't been that long for our parents to use a cane. You've only been asleep for a couple of weeks. And, and-and I told you not to call me 'squirrel'" I managed to tell him, trying to keep up with him.

"I'm your brother, I can call you whatever I want."

We all laughed, but soon the laughter, as fast as it started, stopped and as always, I was weak and let out a couple of tears. Sasuke immediately noticed.

"What's the matter?" I don't have much time of living left?" he tried to sound relaxed, but I could identify a certain fear in his voice.

My mother, who until that moment seemed to hold her breath, took the hand that covered her lips and gave in to tears. My father, who seemed to be the strongest of all, was the one who took the lead:

"Sasuke. I know it will be difficult for you to understand what I am about to tell you. "And for the first time, I heard my father's voice start to break." I always teached you to be a strong boy. And so far I have no doubt that you are. You have known how to protect your sister and to be a real man in front of your friends. I always thought you made the right decisions. That's why I'm proud to be your father. "He came over and placed his hand on Sasuke's head, who trembled with fear, for he must have sensed what was happening. My brother was very perceptive. "You must be strong and face what comes with the strength and wisdom that have always guided you in your greatest difficulties" bitter tears came from the eyes of my father.

"Just tell me, father," Sasuke demanded.

"Please, my son. I ask you not to lose your temper ... try ..."

"I will not walk again?" He said to everyone's surprise. "Is that why I can't feel my legs? It's not a temporally thing, is it? "He gritted his teeth. "Tell me father, I won't walk again?"

My father just nodded, falling to his knees as he did so.

And that was enough for my brother's dreams to end, taking away his desire to live.

None of us objected when, overwhelmed by fury, he forced us to leave him alone, the hospital room being the only witness to the agony that assaulted my brother.

It was a matter of time before the doctors decided to sedate him since it hadn't been long before he unleashed all his anger against the furniture of the room.

Sasuke didn't speak again to Naruto and Sakura, ending a friendship of almost a decade.

He was avoinding all of his friends, my parents and even me. Showing himself more and more distant and irritable. Ignoring all around.

He had lost the will to live.

And that way, so easy, Sasuke Uchiha disappeared from everyone's life.

That had been his will, and nobody would deny it to him, neither his friends, my parents ... nor me.

A week after Sasuke awakened my parents forced me to go home to get some sleep. Although I denied them many times, in the end they managed to convince me that I needed a shower and a little nap.

While I was alone packing Sasuke's clothes to take to the hospital, I received an unexpected visit: Naruto.

"Can I come in? How do you feel?" He asked quickly with a big smile, characteristic of his radiant and extroverted personality.

"Well, just a little tired," I returned his smile to harmonize the mood between us. I knew what was coming, he probably wanted answers about Sasuke's health. "Come in," I said, shyly, to which, after a slight nod, Naruto trustingly, went into the kitchen with that confidence that sometimes bothered those who knew him. But not me, it seemed adorable to me.

Once in the kitchen he took a glass and filled it with water.

"Your arm has already recovered?" I asked, wanting to make conversation, unaccustomed to being alone with him, since usually Sasuke or Sakura were around. The three of them had been inseparable since elementary school. Unfortunately I wasn't as close to Naruto as I wished, I was just a friend who was part of his school group and the sister of her best friend.

"With so many screws that they putted on my bones now It feels more like the arm of Iron Man, but answering to your question: Yes, it is almost as strong as before, but the doctor warned me that I still can't carry very heavy things" He explained as he raised his arm.

I laughed at his gesture.

"Sasuke would have mocked me ..." he said, shifting his countenance to an extremely sad one.

"I'm sure of it ..." I said and took a seat on the sofa, then he followed me. I was ready to answer his questions, the reason he came.

"How has he been? He didn't mention if ..." he hesitated. "He still don't want to talk to Sakura or ... with me?"

I just lower my head and sighed. "No"

"I see ..." He stared at the wall thoughtfully. "Do you think he'll forgive us?"

I was surprised at the question.

"Forgive what? You are noy to be blame for anything"

"Sasuke doesn't say anything, but I know him very well. He hates us for coming out unscathed, while he ... "He decided not to finish that sentence. "Sakura reproaches herself, for Sasuke to may think she didn't care about him, because at the end of the day ... Who would have thought it?, Sakura decided to save me and not Sasuke"

I didn't know what to say, stunned to think that Naruto had easily deciphered the reason for Sasuke's attitude. Usually he was given little understanding of people's actions with how distracted he was.

"Sakura just did what she could. I'm sure she wanted to help both. " I defended.

"That's what I want to say to Sasuke, but he doesn't even want to see us ..."

"Eventually ... I'm sure he will. My brother is not one of those who hold a grudge, he, even if he doesn't seem to be, is very kind and appreciates his friends. "I smiled faintly, but remembering the expressionless face of my brother who was at that moment in the hospital, I couldn't help wincing. Naruto seemed to noticed. "He's so kind, and I m sure he'll recovered," I said to myself. "I'm sure I won't lose my brother," I repeated, letting out a small tear.

Naruto immediately sat down beside me and placed a hand behind my back, worried.

"You won't lose your brother, Hinata. I'm sure of it, "he consoled me. "God is not bad enough to take the brother of a good little girl like you."

'Little girl, eh?' I thought. I supposed that in his eyes I looked like that to him. Always the helpless little sister of Sasuke Uchiha.

At that moment I stared at him. Looking in detail each faction and expression of his face.

In front of me was that immature boy, the one who, without trying, had stolen my heart. The one that without asking for it, perhaps, would be the owner of my heart forever.

Soon he noticed my scrutiny.

"What's going on? Do I have something on my face?" He teased, but immediately his smile faded as I began to cry. "H-hey H-hinata, I didn't mean to sound rude, just ..." he said nervously, but I cut him off when, to his surprise, I embraced him.

"Naruto, you don't know how I felt that night. Not only did I think I would lose my brother. I-I thought I'd lose them both" I stammered through tears while I felt him reciprocating my hug as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Shh, it's all over. Your brother and I are fine, "he consoled me. Although I knew very well that although I had not lost them, a part of my brother had been broken forever. Sasuke would never be the same.

I armed myself with courage and pulled away from his embrace. I decided it was time to be honest for the first time, and tell him everything I had really felt.

"In that moment of uncertainty ... when I thought something might have happened to both of you ... I thought a lot." I felt his thumb delicately wipe the tears from my cheeks. "I thought I never really said what I felt. I thought of how you and my brother would never know how much you both mean to me"

Naruto smiled with understanding.

"Of course you felt that way. If I had brothers I would have thought the same thing. "he smiled, as if imagining it." But in your case you shouldn't have worried too much, you've always been a good sister to Sasuke. You are neither dramatic nor conflictive"

"R-Really?"

"Of course!

"And you ..." I bit my lower lip doubtfully. "What do you think of me?"

He seemed to think for a couple of seconds before saying, "If I had died, I would have been satisfied, thinking that my friend Hinata was one of those friends who never leaves you on a math test." he rubbed my hair with his hand and I smile.

But soon all the grace vanished from my face when I realized he still didn't understand my true feelings.

He noticed that my countenance had changed.

"What's going on?"

"You haven't understood well. What I thought when I belived that something might have happened to you was ..."

" I understood," he interrupted.

"No. You don't get it. "What crossed my mind was that I didn't want you to leave forever without first knowing my true feelings"

"I understood, Hinata," he smiled warmly. "And I hope you understand that If something happens to me in the future, there must be no regrets between us. I've never doubted that you've been a good friend"

"That's not what Im meaning to say!" I clarified, a little frustrated. But then, being aware of my abruptness, I looked down at my hands as a blush settled on my cheeks. "I mean to tell you my true feelings. Those feelings that are different from what I feel for my brother, differents from what I feel for my friend Kiba ..."

I laid my eyes on his, wanting to convey everything I felt through them. He seemed to understand my message since I saw in his eyes some disbelief and doubt.

I decided that the moment had arrived:

"N-Naruto, I always wanted to tell you this. But, given my situation I never saw it necessary. But now that I experience the feeling of knowing how it feels to leave that person without having been transparent with your feelings, I decided that I won't hide anymore. It's time for you to know how much I ... I ... "I took a breath and without hesitation I finally managed to articulate"I love you"

His eyes widened, filled with surprise.

And that's when all my perdition began.


End file.
